1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to barrier type covers useful on human patients for aiding in prevention of the spread of communicable diseases, and is particularly directed toward a sheath or cover for placement over a human finger or toe and useful for serving as a barrier between the human digit and a pulse oximeter probe. The invention also relates to a package for storing and dispensing the digit covers.
2. Brief Description of the Related Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,992 issued Apr. 15, 1997 to R. B. Guthrie et al describes a sheath/cover made of infectious agent impervious material, and which is flexible and transparent to passage of light from a pulse oximetry sensor. Pulse oximetry sensors are also referred to as pulse oximeter probes, the various structures and operation of which is well known. The Guthrie et al cover is structured for, and always described as, being for location over or surrounding the probe and over part of the probe electrical line. Guthrie et al do not appear to recognize that the odd shape of a pulse oximeter probe with the attached electrical line renders it more difficult and time consuming to apply (and remove) a disease barrier cover over the probe and line, as compared to placing a barrier cover over the relatively straight diameter of a finger (or toe) of the patient as herein described in reference to the present invention. Furthermore, Guthrie et al appear to fail to describe or mention any type of efficient, low cost packaging for their sensor cover. Guthrie et al do however appear to recognize that many if not most pulse oximeter probes currently in use in the U.S. appear to be of the "reuseable" type which if unprotected when used on a patient should be cleaned prior to use on another patient, such cleaning of reuseable sensors dramatically increasing the cost of use, and thus many are simply used uncleaned between patients.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,230 issued May 11, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,101 issued May 9, 1995; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,717 issued Sep. 26, 1995 all teach what are stated to be pulse oximeter probes sufficiently inexpensive to be disposed of after use on a patient. Such disposable pulse oximeter probes are intended to prevent cross-patient contamination and also to eliminate the costly process of having to clean a reuseable type probe between use on each patient. However, due to the cost of optical light emitters and optical detectors, electrical wires and the other parts associated with such disposable probes, disposal of such sensors (probes) after each use is not likely to be the most economical method of preventing cross-patient contamination which can be devised.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,438,901 issued Apr. 6, 1948 to C. D. Coxe describes a finger cot or sheath which is flexible, transparent and made of plastics. The Coxe disclosure does not mention utilizing the sheath with a pulse oximeter probe for reducing cross-patient contamination by the probe, nor is there a mentioning of an inexpensive and efficient dispensing packaging for the sheaths.
It is believed that there exists a significant need for a more economical and yet convenient arrangement of preventing cross-patient contamination from the use of reuseable pulse oximeter probes.